The Union Minister of Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh dedicated the rebuilt Blast Furnace-1 ‘Parvati’ of SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) to the Nation today. Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram, Dr. Aruna Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Binoy Kumar, Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Steel along, senior officers of SAIL and a large number of employees were present on this occasion. Parvati is the first Blast Furnace of SAIL that was dedicated to the nation on 3rd February 1959 by the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. The Blast Furnace was put down on 6th August 2013 for total rebuilding. Although erected on the old foundation, the rebuilt furnace equipped with superior technology has a higher production capacity. With the rebuilding, the annual production capacity, of the furnace has increased from 0.438 Million tonnes (MT) to 1.015 MT.

The Steel Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Burns and Plastic Surgery Department of Super Specialty block at Ispat General Hospital. This unit is the only burns and plastic surgery in the region and will fulfil the requirements of not only Rourkela but also of the people of neighboring districts and states.

The Minister also visited the state-of-the-art New Plate Mill of RSP and planted saplings in the Pragati Udyan situated in front of the Mill.